A Well-Earned Break
by indigirl450
Summary: Shortly after the events on Taris, Sith Lord Tan'shae Kyr'vel and her crew take some time to relax before moving on to Darth Baras' next assignment for them. Tan'shae takes it upon herself to take Malavai Quinn under her wing for the duration of their vacation, determined to make the typically uptight Captain cut loose for a change. Slight FSWxQuinn in later chapters
1. Chapter 1 - Requesting Time Off

**A/N: I started working on this fic a year ago, and after getting back into ToR decided it was good enough for me to continue. I'm still developing parts of the story as I go along, and it's been over a year since I completed the Sith Warrior storyline, so if there are some glaring inconsistencies or mistakes, I apologize upfront. I'll try to catch as much of it as I can, though. Some elements of the game's cannon SW storyline/romance storyline have been deliberately altered for the sake of storytelling, but these are minor. **

**This fic is rated T for: swearing, violence, and some sensuality (mostly in the later chapters I have planned)**

**Disclaimer:**_** I do not own SWTOR or any of the Star Wars franchise** _

* * *

"A _break_?"

"Yes, a break."

"A _**break**_?!"

"…_Yes_."

"_**Now**_, of all times?!"

"The crew need it, Master, they-"

"Do you have _any_ idea what I'm on the verge of executing?! The very gears are in motion for me to _plunge_ the Republic into war, and you, my deadliest weapon, want to take a _**break?!**_"

The pale-skinned Sith Lord closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath before letting it out in a slow sigh. She knew her Master could get in these moods every now and then, and sure, it frightened her at first, but now it was just… annoying.

"Lord Baras, _please_, we've all been run ragged by Taris, even a short break would be-"

"_Not_ at this critical juncture! I am so **_close_**-!" The hologram of the Darth paused, his rage choking his words, and he paced slightly, growling out a harsh sigh.

"_Master_," She spoke suddenly, in a very curt tone. "At the very least, we need some time to recover from wounds. I broke three ribs, and took shrapnel to my shoulder. My gunner snapped her ankle, my apprentice a received concussion, my Lieutenant fractured his femur, and my Captain-"

"I _assure_ you, Lord Baras, I am quite alright."

The Sith rolled her eyes, trying not to smile at the Captain's brave front, despite how he still slouched ever-so-slightly from his dislocated shoulder, cradling his still-healing arm to his side as it rest in a kolto brace. Of every one of the crew, she should have _known_ that he'd be the _only_ one to oppose a vacation. But that was Malavai Quinn for you…

"Regardless of my Captain's false claims," she said teasingly, leering at the Captain as the other three were just barely able to stifle their amusement at the remark. "In all honesty, Lord Baras, we really _do_ need a break. If we're expected to carry out our duties to you to our fullest extent, then we need some time to recuperate, preferably outside of the confines of the ship."

The Darth sighed loudly, holding his masked face in his hand as he still paced slightly, grumbling to himself. It amused the Sith so how she could make her so-called Master bend to her whims, just by playing stool pigeon to him.

"… How long?"

"One standard week, Master, no more is needed."

"And… just _which_ planet did you have in mind for this… 'break'?"

"I was thinking Alderaan." She said with a soft smile, feeling her spirits soar a little. "Specifically, a small village in the heart of a sector firmly under House Thul's control, away from the civil war."

The Darth was silent, clearly still fuming to himself as he paced, hands cradled behind his back. A lump rose in the Sith's throat, her body tightening somewhat as it seemed that Baras might go back on whatever promise of a respite he seemed to have been willing to grant just a moment before. Finally, her master let out a heavy, mechanical sigh.

"… Very well, my apprentice. One standard week of rest on Alderaan. _However!_" He rose a finger to the Sith, menacing towards her, showing he was still in charge, despite her manipulations. "You are expected, and in fact _commanded_ to return to this ship and contact me at zero-nine-hundred hours, Dromund Kaas Standard Time _precisely _one standard week from this date, or else you will be _very_ sorry." He hissed, mechanical voice dripping with venom that even made the pale-skinned Lord shrink ever so slightly with fear. "Do I make myself clear?"

She straightened herself, nodding firmly before bowing to her master, restraining her excitement. "Clear as day, Lord Baras. My crew and I shall convene on this ship in one standard week and await your orders. You have my word that we will carry them out to surpass your expectations."

Baras simply sighed, cocking his head away in a condescending manner, clearly upset that his plans had been delayed by a simple vacation. The holo then fizzled out, leaving the crew of the ship alone, and they all breathed a collective sigh of relief.

"Man, I thought he was gonna _explode_ there for a second!"

"Indeed, Master. I was worried you'd overstepped your boundaries with him."

"Psh, so what if she 'ad? The old man _owes_ us for Taris, 'specially you four."

"I still don't think we necessarily _need_ a break, especially at a critical moment like this-"

"Oh shuttit, _prettyboy_. Don't ruin a good thing." The lieutenant snarled, glaring at Quinn.

"Yeah, c'mon Captain Stingy, lighten up! We get a _break!_"

The Sith sighed, letting her dark lips part in a smile as her crew vibrated with excitable energy, letting them all wind down from the brave front they all needed to put up in the line of duty.

"But a tiny town on Alderaan, _really_?" Vette piped in, shifting on her feet slightly, making her lekku sway. "I mean… not that I mind, but like, I'd prefer a place with more _action_, y'know? Like Nar Shaddaa, or even Dromund Kaas."

"I 'ave to agree, M'Lord." Lieutenant Pierce butted in, arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the door frame leading to the cockpit, favoring his injured leg. "I'd prefer a spot that's a bit more lively than Alderaan, tends to be more fun that way."

"What ever happened to 'not ruining a good thing'?" She replied with a snarky grin, coming to defense of her Captain. "Nar Shaddaa is too dangerous of a place overall for the kind of break I have in mind, and Dromund Kaas is _far_ too close to Barras for my liking. Alderaan is… calm, peaceful, and _beautiful_." She said with a soft sigh, almost fondly remembering her time on the planet.

"I agree with the Master." Jaesa said, coming to side with the Sith Lord on the matter. "Alderaan's a far nicer place to fare than Nar Shaddaa. Although, I would've liked to have seen Dromund Kaas…"

"Don't worry Jaesa, I promise you you'll see the Empire's capitol soon enough. In the meantime, you should be excited to be heading home for a while. The younger Sith grinned, eyes sparkling in anticipation, and she nodded.

"Yes, Master, that makes me very excited." The Sith couldn't help but grin at her apprentice's brightened expression.

"Besides," she continued, turning slightly to address the rest of the crew "I never said that tiny town was _our_ destination, just mine. We'll dock the ship near House Thul,and then we can go our separate ways from there until our break is over." That seemed to make the rest of them buzz with just a little more excitement. Sure, the city surrounding House Thul still wasn't Nar Shaddaa, but it was a city nonetheless.

The whole of the crew then turned to Captain Quinn, eyeing him for a response as he remained quiet, keeping his braced arm still. He scanned all of their faces, looking around the room before settling on his commander's face. She locked eyes with him, quirking a brow in curiosity as his cold, blue eyes refused to break contact with her bright yellow eyes for a good thirty seconds or so. It made her shudder slightly, a rare feat for someone to accomplish, as sparks seemed to fizzle across their lines of sight. Finally, he closed his eyes, letting out a heavy sigh, and hanging his head slightly.

"Well… I _suppose_ some time on Alderaan _would_ be best to clear our heads…"

Vette and Jaesa practically jumped for joy, high-fiving one another before scurrying off to gather their things. Lieutenant Pierce rolled his eyes, seemingly sickened by their girlish behavior before trudging off to his quarters. That left the Captain alone with the Sith Lord, the both of them leaning on the holo terminal, falling into a silence. It wasn't… _quite_ an awkward silence… but it wasn't comfortable either. It seemed to be happening a lot lately, much to the Captain's dismay.

"I suppose I should put in co-ordinates for Alderaan, then."

She nodded, smiling at him softly. "Yes, that would probably be a good idea."

"Very well, My Lord, I'll get to it." Quinn said with his typical, professional demeanor, and he walked towards the cockpit corridor, ready to bring up the Galaxy Map. He heard a sigh behind him.

"Tan'shae."

The Captain stopped, somewhat startled by what his commander had said. It wasn't a word he recognized. Perhaps it was another Mandalorian phrase? She often interjected Mando'a into her typical vocabulary, though for what reason, he couldn't quite discern.

"I… beg your pardon, My Lord?" He watched her shake her head, smiling almost in exasperation.

"You know, you don't _always_ have to address me as 'Lord'. I _do_ have a name, Malavai…" The Captain seemed to tense at the mention of his first name, straightening up in the door frame as the Sith Lord stood, strolling across the room to meet him. She came quite close to him, leaning against the doorway to the cockpit as she looked at him, eyes slightly lidded, the bright-yellow framed in smoky black eye makeup, standing out starkly against her porcelain skin. Quinn raised one of his brows, eyeing the commander wearily.

"I have a name, and it's Tan'shae." She repeated simply, smiling softly at Quinn, head cocked, hoping for a response from the stoic Captain. His eyes remained the same unreadable blue, his handsome, angled face devoid of all emotion, cool and calculating to the last, and it made her recoil slightly.

"I… see." he said, almost defensively as he strode into the cockpit, over to the captain's chair, and he brought up the galaxy map to punch in the coordinates to Alderaan. Tan'shae sighed, shaking her head slightly.

"You know, it wouldn't _kill_ you to call me by my name at least _some_ of the time, everyone else does…" she said, after some silence between them, and she sighed heavily before turning around and heading for her quarters.

"Maybe so. But, it would be… inappropriate."

She rolled her eyes again, dismayed somewhat as Quinn went back to his Captainly duties, laying in the coordinates for Alderaan. She just let out a heavy sigh and walked away. They'd arrive in two hours or so, and for what the Sith Lord had planned, she needed to make sure she was packed. She only hoped that this break would do her Captain _some_ kind of good. It wasn't healthy to be so wound up all the time as he was. If _anyone_ really needed this break, it was him.


	2. Chapter 2 - Twisting Arms

**A/N: First off, I just want to thank everyone for all the positive feedback I've gotten on this story so far, I really appreciate it :) Here's hoping the second chapter lives up to your expectations. I used some Mando'a in one place in this chapter, and will use more in future chapters, and while I admire the language I don't really know which words best fit English equivalents and whatnot, so if anyone reading is somewhat fluent in Mando'a, feel free to make suggestions to me if I get a phrase wrong or if a better word can be used in its place. **

**All Mando'a used will have their English meaning placed at the end of the chapter for reference.**

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The ship dropped from hyperspace in a few, short hours, entering Alderaanian space with ease, before the autopilot made a beeline for the spaceport near House Thul. It would be another hour by shuttle to the Sith's final destination, but the rest of the crew were far more excited about being in a moderately-sized city for their break, so it was a small sacrifice as far as she was concerned. After docking in a reserved hangar of the spaceport, Vette and Jaesa were the first to run down the gangplank, followed closely by Pierce. Tan'shae emerged shortly after, still in her ordinary Sithly attire, but with bags in each hand and a large commando pack strapped to her back. She'd spent so long packing that there was no time for her to change out of her armor, much to her dismay.

"I still don't know why you're bringing all'a that, Tanny. It's just gonna weigh you down in the city." Vette said with a wry smile, and Tan'shae rolled her eyes at the Twi'lek's nickname for her.

"Well, I'm not _staying _in the city, Vette." The Twi'lek looked at her quizzically.

"Well what the hells _else _is there to do around here?"

"It's called 'camping',_ vod'ika__1_, you should try it sometime." She reached out, ruffling the top of the other's blue head playfully, as sisters would do. Vette chuckled, shaking her head.

"No _thanks_. Sleeping on the ground and peeing in the shrubs is _not_ my idea of fun."

Tan'shae shook her head gently, sighing in mock dismay as the crew all piled into the elevator. She reached into one of the many knapsacks she had, digging out holocomms for each of them, proceeding to hand them out.

"Here, use these to get in contact with the each other if anyone needs anything. I've set them all with timers so that they'll go off three hours before we're due back at the ship. That's plenty of time for us to all drop what we're doing and get back to the ship before Baras blows a fuse."

"Psh, his fuses have blown so many times that frankly, I'm surprised his head isn't just a burning pile of scrap at this point." Vette sneered, rousing laugh from Jaesa and a deep chuckle from Pierce. Tan'shae couldn't help herself either, and joined in the laughter, feeling giddy energy spark in her blood as they all shared in a good laugh. She couldn't remember if that had ever happened before.

"Wait a minnit…. where's Captain prettyboy?"

Tan'shae blinked, still trying to regain herself from the laughter as she looked up at Pierce. He'd calmed down first, and glanced around the elevator compartment, brow furrowed in confusion. She straightened herself, and looking around the group, she blushed when she clearly saw that Quinn was nowhere to be seen, a fact which hadn't occurred to her until Pierce's mention of it.

"Oh, don't tell me he decided to stay on the ship…" Jaesa moaned, the corners of her mouth quirking into a grin at the absurdity of the thought.

"Wait! Hold the lift!" Echoed a voice from across the hangar bay, and the four of them peered out of the elevator chamber to see Malavai Quinn bolt from the ship, also carrying a large pack on his back like their commander's, as well as a security case in one hand. Tan'shae was almost taken aback by his appearance. She was used to seeing him in his Imperial uniform, which was kept in near immaculate condition. But now, he had on a long, lightly-armored, almost scruffy brown leather coat, looking more like something that a smuggler would wear. Beneath that was a simple, dark cloth shirt, with a high collar and long sleeves. His pants were similar as well, lightly armored with various pockets, along with smart-looking, Imperial-issue boots and gloves. His hair was still in its pristinely groomed state, sweeping and slicked slightly with gel to hold it in place. Tan'shae couldn't help but stare. He looked so… so _different,_ so much more… _casual_.

The others seemed to be just as surprised as Tan'shae was, the lot of them just staring slack-jawed at the Captain as he darted into the elevator, holding himself in a rigid, militaristic pose. In spite of how he carried himself, Tan'shae could see how he was still in pain from Taris, how his posture slumped to his left slightly from the healing dislocated shoulder, and how the Kolto splint bulged under the left sleeve of his coat. She was jarred from her thoughts suddenly by a low whistle, coming from the Lieutenant.

"Well damn Captain, who knew ya had it in ya t'_not_ dress a Priss?" He teased, smirking at Quinn with slight contempt. "Looks like I lost me bet with the Twi'lek. See, I thought that uniform was permanently fixed to yer skin."

"I gotta say, I'm pretty glad you lost that bet Pierce. Scruffy suits you, Captain."

Quinn rolled his eyes, clearly irritated, but he ignored the jiving from the Lieutenant and Vette, using the console within the elevator to take it to the next level. Tan'shae quickly glanced over the other's attire again, smiling softly as her eyes settled on the large pack he was carrying, with some difficulty as his shoulder was still-healing. She raised a brow slightly, curious as to what the Captain had planned, especially with that black security case he had clutched tightly in his right hand.

"So, what's everyone got planned, eh?" Vette asked, shifting giddily on her feet as the elevator climbed the levels, almost at a torturously slow pace for her liking. She looked at Jaesa with an eager smile, the two of them sharing a glance that sparked the mischief in their eyes. "Jaesa's promised to show me around the city and enjoy all it has to offer." The padawan shrugged.

"It's no Nar Shaddaa, but you can still get into plenty of trouble if you know where to look for it."

Tan'shae smiled, looking at the two girls warmly. She was glad that the two were becoming fast friends, almost like another sisterly bond, which she was fine with. Vette could use as much surrogate family as she could, especially since Tiiva had yet to find their mother.

"I'm pretty much doin' the same thing, gonna hang 'round the city and see what there is t'do. If I get bored, might go out to the wilds and hunt." Pierce said with a shrug, shifting his bag over his shoulder, clad in lighter, more casual armor. If there even _was_ such a thing as casual armor, that is.

The three of them then looked to Tan'shae and Quinn, almost eager to hear what the two had planned. Tan'shae glanced at Quinn, seeing little reaction in his expression, and she shrugged.

"Like I said, I'm going camping. I haven't been properly camping since I was sixteen, and I'd very much like to spend a week in the wilds."

That just left Quinn, the ever-calculating Captain to reveal his plans to the group, and they all leaned in slightly, eager for him to share. But he remained stoic, unwavering in his silence. He glanced at the group, scanning them briefly, and Tan'shae was having a hard time reading him, even more so than usual. _Why_ was he so hard to read? Finally, he let out a sigh, his icy eyes rolling slightly in irritation.

"If you _must_ know, I'm heading towards House Thul. I plan on offering my services to them and assisting the Empire in any nonviolent way I can over the course of my 'break'." He said simply, coaxing a collective groan from Vette, Jaesa, and Pierce at the news of his desire to work. Tan'shae couldn't help but share in the sentiment. Couldn't the guy ever just _drop_ the whole Imperial act and _relax _for a change?

As the elevator doors finally opened on the main level, Quinn was the first to exit, followed by Pierce, and then by Jaesa and Vette, who bolted past them all, hand-in-hand and giggling as they rushed for the doors to the city. Tan'shae stood in the elevator, brow furrowed as she watched Quinn make his way to the spaceport exit. Gathering herself, she jogged out of the elevator, catching up with the Captain as he walked at a brisk pace towards House Thul.

"Captain, _wait!_" she called out to him, cringing at how she used his formal title to address him. Still, she knew it was the best way to get the other's attention. Ever true to his regulatory nature, Quinn stopped dead in his tracks, his body clearly tense, though that could have been from the residual pain of his still-setting shoulder. Slowly, he turned to face his commander, his eyes still cold and unreadable.

"Yes, my Lord?"

She could've kicked him for saying that. He had _some_ nerve to reply to her by her formal title, considering their conversation on the ship only a few hours prior. Still, Tan'shae pushed the thought from her mind, hitching her bag up on her shoulder more.

"Listen, I _know_ that you'd prefer to serve, and dedicate every ounce of energy to the Empire… but really, Captain, you shouldn't spend this rare time off at House Thul. You should relax."

He simply shrugged, seemingly unphased by her words, and she cursed under her breath in Mando'a. Damnit, why was this man so _stubborn?_

"I appreciate the advice, my Lord, but I'd really rather work."

"Then why did you bring so much equipment with you?" Tan'shae asked, her brow raised in suspicion. She was met with yet another cold shrug. He was starting to make her blood boil with his moody, brooding attitude.

"I like to be prepared for anything I may have to face, my Lord." He said simply, turning from the Sith and he began to walk away again. Tan'shae sighed harshly, pinching the bridge of her nose before she rushed after him.

"Look, Malavai…" she said softly, placing a hand on his uninjured shoulder, and the Captain stopped in his tracks again, this time with an ever-so-slightly more relaxed posture. "Why don't you come camping with me, eh?" she said with a smile, trying to persuade the stoic Captain, golden eyes pleading with him softly. "I could use some company, and _you_ could use some time away from everything. Logically, it'd be the best thing for the both of us. What do you say?" she asked with a hopeful smile, but the other remained cold. Finally, he shrugged his shoulder firmly, coaxing her hand off of him in and unusually rude gesture. Tan'shae could only blink, stunned and quite honestly surprised by the rude act.

"I appreciate the offer, my Lord, but I really would just rather use my spare time to _work_ rather than play." he said curtly, clearly hoping for the Sith to leave him alone. Tan'shae stared at him in slight disbelief before she lowered her eyes, balling a fist tightly as Quinn strode away from her, as if he were trying to escape.

"Captain Quinn!" she called out in a stern, forceful voice, feeling her patience waning with him, and the other stopped, standing ramrod straight. The tone of her voice had apparently struck a nerve in him…

"_Yes_, my Lord?"

"I don't remember staying you were dismissed, _Captain_." She snipped at him, her irritation starting to show. Sure, she was somewhat used to Quinn's insistence on adhering to rules and regulations, but not only had he been over the top about it lately, but he was starting to become much more moody and just plain _rude _as well. Was he _really_ so uptight about having a break for once?"

"No, I suppose you didn't" he replied, in the same, irritated tone that was so _unusual_ coming from him. Was something bothering him? Tan'shae couldn't even tell. Usually she could read people like an unsecured datapad within a matter of minutes, but even after all the time they'd spent together in combat, she _still_ couldn't get a good read on Malavai, which only served to frustrate her more.

"Captain, I am _ordering_ you to come camping with me. If you keep working in your state, knowing the way _you_ work, it is my educated opinion that you'll suffer complete physical and mental collapse, and I will _not_ have my best officer compromised in such a way." She said sternly, hating to pull rank on him, but damnit if it didn't seem like it was the only way he would _listen_ sometimes… She kept her face stern, golden eyes alight with intensity, brows drawn close in an angry look, the orange wedge tattoos on her chin and temples elongating, almost pointing to her angered expression. Quinn simply matched her intense gaze, his icy blue eyes looking up defiantly into her bright gold ones, unwavering and undeterred by the insistent Sith Lord.

"Do this, or else I'll be forced to strip you of rank for going against my orders."

_That_ seemed to finally get through to the stubborn Captain, inhaling sharply as he looked back into Tan'shae's eyes with the same unmoving intensity as she was giving him. Silence fell between them for what seemed like an agonizingly long time, neither of them willing to budge and let the other win. Finally, one of them had to give in, and Quinn admitted defeat with a heavy sigh. His shoulders dropped a little, and he looked back up at her, his head shaking a little bit. Was he _grinning?_

"You aren't going to let this go, are you?"

Tan'shae couldn't help but let a smile break across her face, and she shook her head gingerly.

"Not one bit." She said, beaming, and she reached out gently grasping the Captain's forearm in a friendly gesture, though, perhaps _too_ friendly for the Captain's liking, judging by how he tensed at the contact.

"Listen, Taris was rough on all of us, especially you and I, considering we nearly got buried alive." She could see him flinch slightly at the memory, and she couldn't blame him. Those minutes spent trying to open the vault door to General Minst's hiding place as the factory wailed and burst around them was less than comfortable, to say the least.

"My Lord, I just don't think-"

"That it would be appropriate?" She could see him blush slightly, shifting the bag on his back out of apparent nerves.

"Well… no, frankly, I don't think it would be, considering…" He trailed off, but Tan'shae knew what he was referring to. It was right before the vault doors to Minst's shelter had opened, and the threat of imminent death was very real for the both of them…

"_If you have anything to say, now would be the time, Quinn."_

"…_."_

"… _Quinn?"_

"_My Lord, I… I've always thought that… what I mean is-"_

"_THIRTY SECONDS TO SELF-DESTRUCT"_

"_Just spit it out Quinn!"_

"_You're beautiful."_

"_..."_

She'd been caught off-guard by the comment, to say the least. _Stunned_, actually. So much so that at the time that she never addressed it afterward, pushing the incident to the back of her mind, unable to form a response. Since then, things had been, well, a little sticky between her and the Captain. He'd always been a little awkward around her to begin with, but after that he seemed to shut in on himself even _more_, which _couldn't_ have been healthy for him.

"Listen, Malavai." Tan'shae said in a soft, almost desperate voice. "Just… just forget about everything, alright? We're on a _break_. It's a rare chance for us to relax and refresh ourselves. We don't need to worry about anything that's happened, or our future assignments, or rank, or _whatever_. For the next week, we're just two friends, and we're going camping. Now, does _that_ sound inappropriate?" she smiled softly, trying to break the other's rigid, militaristic exterior, and she could see his brows furrow slightly, almost as if he was puzzled as he analyzed what she'd just said. Finally, he let out a heavy sigh.

"I… suppose not." he finally relented, closing his eyes for a minute as he cracked a small smile. Tan'shae beamed, nearly overwhelmed that she'd _actually_ managed to convince him to come camping with her. She'd honestly thought that he'd be so stalwart in his desire to work that he'd shrug off any advance or plea short of an order she made. Granted, she _had_ just ordered him, but it wasn't that which had swayed him, it was knowing that she wouldn't give up on him.

"That's the spirit." She said with a friendly smile, lightly punching Quinn in his good shoulder, as was the typical sign on affection in the Kyr'vel Clan. The Captain's eyes widened in slight shock, recoiling from the Sith slightly, not that Tan'shae could really blame him. He'd never seen her let loose like this, except when it was in the more destructive and homicidal sense.

"Come on then, the shuttle's this way." She cocked her head in the direction of the other end of the spaceport, walking towards their connecting shuttle as Quinn followed in tow. The pale Sith vowed to be as friendly and forthcoming to the Captain as she could over the course of the week. She didn't buy for a second that a rigid, steadfast patriot like him had planned on spending the week doing official Imperial business dressed like _that _and with so much extra gear. A week of camping seemed like the perfect way to get to the bottom of this little mystery. Maybe she could find out why the Captain had been so moody lately as well.

* * *

_1. vod'ika_ - Little Brother/Little Sister (used as Little Sister in this instance)


	3. Chapter 3 - Trouble in Paradise

**A/N: Hey there everyone, I just wanted to say sorry for not updating this story in so long. College has been dominating my life the past few months, but with the semester almost over, I fully plan on continuing this story over the course of my summer vacation. I thank you all for patiently waiting for the new chapter, hope you like it!**

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Even by shuttle, it took a good hour or so to make it to the settlement. Granted, Tan'shae had said it would be out of the way, but still for it to take an _hour_ at shuttle speed _just_ to get here meant they had to be in the thick of the rural mountains and forests, far from the central city surrounding House Thul. Granted, camping wasn't much good if you did it in a city, but still, surely there had to be a less remote and, more to the point, a more _secure_ spot in which to set up camp. Regardless, Quinn had little choice but to follow his Lord's orders. It wasn't in his best tactical interest to provoke her more… "tenacious" side against him.

Quinn shuffled a little where he stood, impatience creeping up on him as he watched their baggage. The commander had said something about needing to change, that her present attire far too obviously marked her as a Sith lord, and that she needed to slip into clothes more suitable for the hike to their camping site. He had to admit, she _did_ have a point there, but still, he felt that fifteen minutes to change was a _slight_ too long. Surely, a change of clothes only took five minutes at most? He'd learned to do it far faster being in the Imperial Academy, so to take fifteen minutes for such a thing was absurd in the Captain's mind.

"I'm sorry that took so long Quinn, it took longer than I thought to scrub up."

_Scrub up_? What in the world was _that_ meant to mean? Quinn knelt down to pick up some of their gear, including his black case, and he turned around to greet the Sith Lord. When he did, he was so taken aback that he'd nearly dropped the security case he'd been clutching firmly in his left hand this entire time. One look at her face, and he immediately knew what she meant by "scrubbing up".

The dark war paint that normally encircled her eyes and painted her lips was gone. Her overall expression was far softer and less menacing without it, and her porcelain skin had a pinkish tinge to it from what must have been vigorous scrubbing to get it all off. Her lips were a pale color, similar to her skin, but just slightly redder, enough so that they didn't look too sickly. Her jet black hair, ordinarily tied in a high, neat ponytail, had been let loose somewhat, and was worn low, and long, tied with a jeweled clip and slung over the front of her left shoulder. The normally pronounced fringe over the left side of her face seemed to blend seamlessly into the unrestrained locks, in a surprisingly elegant flow. The orange wedge tattoos on her temples and chin stood out even more without the dark makeup, pointing directly to her bright, golden eyes, which seemed so much more innocent and gentle without being rimmed in dark purple and black.

In place of her typical grey Sith robes, she instead wore a violet cloth shirt, with sleeves that went down to her mid forearm. Overlapping the sleeves were a pair of fingerless leatheris gloves, the kind clearly designed for outdoor work. Her pants were a plain, cream color, sleek and unembroidered, and stuffed into a pair of hiking boots once they reached mid-calf. A belt clipped through her pants, holding various canisters and pouches, as well as rope, a primitive-looking compass, and a hunting vibroknife. Malavi found himself stunned by the Sith Lord's transformation. She looked so incredibly _different_ from how he was used to seeing her, he couldn't help but stare.

A beaming smile from the Sith as she approached him told Quinn that she'd clearly spotted his dumbfounded expression, and he cursed inwardly, blushing slightly. As she came closer, she tugged on a long, leatheris coat, one very similar to the one he wore, with its long sleeves and tail, except it bore no armor at all, and had a higher collar. It also seemed to be lined on the inside with white, fluffy fur, probably Nerf's fur. The coat slid onto her shoulders, and for the first time, Quinn noticed how the violet top cut across her chest. It didn't go so low as to show too much of her chest, thankfully, but it exposed most of her collar bone, as well as her neck. It seemed as though she had several more of the same orange wedge-shaped tattoos that she had on her face in that area, and probably more on other places of her body.

"Well, judging by that blush, Captain, I take it I look good in my hiking gear."

"Well, it, um… I…" he sighed heavily, reaching up and rubbing the back of his neck to soothe his sudden nerves. "I _do_ admit, it suits you much better than your usual vestments for this occasion."

"My my, I haven't seen you _this_ flustered since we met on Balmorra." She said with a playful, teasing wink, and the Captain rolled his eyes, sighing in remembrance at how Tan'shae would blatantly flirt with him throughout the entire course of their mission. It served no tactical purpose, she just enjoyed seeing him wound up like that.

"Not that I can blame you for that, really. After all, it's not every day a Sith lord from off-world flirts with an Imperial officer they've just met." She continued with a wicked grin, thoroughly enjoying seeing the Captain become ever more flustered as they exited the small shuttleport and entered the town. She could hear him sigh beside her.

"Indeed, my Lord."

Tan'shae sighed in reply with a slight groan as she palmed her face in dismay. Eventually, she figured she'd have to accept that, even when on a break, the by-the-book Captain would still address her as "Lord". Pure Malavai Quinn for you. She waved her hand in a dismissing manner as they walked down the small main street of the town, passing street vendors of a surprising variety for such a small settlement.

"I know it's probably hard-wired into your brain to refer to me as such, but please, try not to call me 'Lord' around any of the civilians." She didn't even have to glance to her side to see that her captain had raised an eyebrow at her in questioning.

"Might I ask why, exactly?"

"Even though we're in the thick of Thul territory, there's no need to draw attention to ourselves, which will most _definitely_ happen if people discover that I'm Sith." She looked over at Malavai, grinning slightly. "So if you must call me by a rank, something like 'Commander' will do."

She could see a wave of understanding wash over him, knowing that he would've understood the 'tactical' advantage of the citizens of Alderaan not knowing that she was Sith. Tan'shae rolled her shoulders back in a light stretch before she settled her eyes on the marketplace they were approaching.

"Now then, we'll need some more supplies before we head out." She said as she dug a list out from one of her many pants pockets, handwritten on paper, as opposed to marked on a datapad. She took the list and physically tore it in half, handing one half over to Quinn, and keeping the other for herself.

"Here, it'll go faster if we split it." Quinn raised a brow to her in a look of disbelief.

"_More_ supplies?"

"Well, yes, of course." Tan'shae replied with a light laugh.

"Forgive me, my Lord, but we don't already have enough between the two of us?" he asked, gesturing to the large packs they carried on their backs. The Sith shook her head.

"Not at all. We still need a map, some _directions_, food-"

"My Lord, I'll have you know that I've brought a week's worth of ration packs with me."

"For the Emperor's sake, _real_ food, Malavai, _real_ food." She said with a smile, shoving him playfully. "I'm not eating those horrid excuses for food for an entire week, and I _know_ for a fact there are a lot of Nerf herders in this area, so pick up some good cuts of Nerfsteak, or I _will_ throw you in the brig."

"The ship doesn't _have_ a brig, my Lord."

"It has an escape pod we never use, we could use _that_ for a brig."

"… Duly noted. Nerfsteaks it is then."

Tan'shae burst out in laughter, genuine, joyous laughter that Quinn hadn't ever heard from her before. He had to admit, it even coaxed a smirk from himself, the mood was infectious. She slapped a hand over her mouth, trying to stifle her laughter and it made her stagger a little bit with how hard she laughed. It took her a moment to collect herself, and she straightened a little bit, still giggling slightly.

"I… I'm s-sorry, I don't…" she took a moment, pausing in her speech as she took a deep breath, letting herself calm down. "I don't know why that made me laugh so much."

The Captain gave a small shrug, and not one of those cold, sarcastic ones that Tan'shae had grown used to seeing as of late. It was genuine, and almost playful in a way. It was nice to see Malavai letting down his cold façade for once, even if it was just slightly.

"So, let's be clear, _Nerfsteaks_ or else." She raised a finger, pointing at him and Quinn nodded in agreement.

"As you wish, 'Commander'." He replied with a grin, and with that, they parted briefly to search for what they needed, agreeing to meet back in front of the shuttleport when they were finished.

It didn't take too long for Tan'shae to find what she had been looking for, which mostly consisted of a map of the area and some food, as well as a datapad on local wildlife and edible plants. She and Malavai would have to sit down and decide where to set up camp before they got hiking, though from what she'd gathered from local traders, there were any number of mountain meadows they could choose from about an hour or two's hike up the side of the largest peak.

Tan'shae set her hiking pack to the ground, opening it up as she put her newly-acquired supplies inside of it, waiting for Malavai to meet her back in front of the spaceport, just as they'd agreed earlier. Slowly, the minutes ticked by, until it had been a full half hour she'd been waiting, and the pale Sith huffed a sigh. It shouldn't have taken Malavai _this_ long to get the supplies on his half of the list, and it wasn't normal for him to be so late…

After another couple of minutes, she slung her gear back over her shoulder, descending into the marketplace once again to search for her companion. He'd probably gotten hold up by some stubborn merchant trying to haggle up the price of nerfsteak or something like that. The thought made her grin a little bit, and that grin turned into a full-fledged smile when she spotted the captain talking to an elderly man, the two apparently locked in deep conversation. Yep, it was a stubborn merchant.

As she got closer to the two, she began to pick up parts of their conversation through the buzz of all the other voices. What she caught confused her somewhat.

"…North face of the largest mountain?"

"Oh yeah, been havin' lots'a trouble there lately. Why just last week, Ol' lady Nylah…"

"Are you _sure_… black and green uniforms… gold insignia?"

"Yessir, that's them…"

"Do you have any information on-"

At that moment, Quinn looked up, spotting Tan'shae just as she got close enough to hear their conversation. She looked between the two of them quizzically, focusing on Malavai, who's typically cold and stern expression had returned, which made her sigh inwardly.

"Am I interrupting, Malavai?"

"Not at all. I was just getting these nerfsteaks, as per your orders. Then I asked this man about the surrounding mountains."

She looked at the old man, giving him a friendly smile, which he returned. She couldn't help but laugh lightly when he took a gentle hold of her hand, giving it a gentlemanly kiss.

"Whoa boy son, is this yer lady? She's quite the looker."

Quinn's face immediately ignited, flushing a bright magenta color, which only made Tan'shae laugh even more.

"No no, he and I are just friends." She said softly, grinning at Malavai, who just remained stoic and silent.

"So, what was it you two were talking about? I heard something about uniforms?"

"I was asking this man about potential dangers in the wilds, and I learned that there is guerrilla activity in the mountains nearby, and from what he's said, it sounds like a group of special ops guerrillas." Quinn replied, rattling off the details like he was giving a tactical report, and Tan'shae couldn't help but roll her eyes a little bit. Damnit all, this was _not_ what Quinn needed to hear. Now he'd _never_ relax.

"Yep, there's been a group 'a them lurkin around the mountains. Don't bother us townfolk too much, but they sometimes bother hikers and people livin' on the mountain."

"Like this Lady Nylah?" The old man nodded

"Oh yeah, they done stormed her farm one day, killed a few of her prized nerfs and made off with two whole bushels of her muja fruit. Was the dangdest thing too. Like I said, they don't usually bother anyone other than Imperials like yourself." He gestured to the two of them, and Tan'shae couldn't help but quirk a brow, understanding her captain's worry a bit better now.

"They have a grudge against Imperials?"

"Seem to, yeah. Come through every so often askin folk if any Imperials have been through." The old man looked around a little nervously, as if he thought they were being watched by the guerillas.

"If I were you two, I'd be careful on yer little trip, and keep yer heads low." He leaned in closely to them, lowering his voice to a whisper. "I hope ya both got some blasters to keep ya safe."

Both Tan'shae and Malavai nodded slowly, gesturing to the vibroknife and blaster on their respective belts. The old man let out a small sigh, smiling a bit in relief.

"Well, that's good. You two seem like decent enough folk. I'd hate to see _anyone_ who buys a half-dozen of my nerfsteaks for 1200 creds each get toasted." Tan'shae's eyes widened, and she snapped her head around, looking at Quinn in horror.

"You paid 1200 credits _per nerfsteak?_"

"It seemed like a good deal to me, Commander. You spend three to five times that on combat stimulants per week."

Tan'shae rolled her eyes, palming her face as she tried to stifle an exasperated laugh.

"I'm putting it on the record that haggling is _not_ one of your strong skills, Malavai."

The old man joined in on her laughter, and Tan'shae jerked her head in the direction of the largest mountain, indicating that they should get going. Malavai nodded in return, and they began to walk away. Tan'shae cocked a look back over her shoulder, waving a farewell to the old man.

"Thanks for the steaks!" she called back, and he nodded with a smile.

"Anytime ma'am, be careful out there!"

She turned away from the steak stand, and the both of them began to walk outside of the walls of the village, following a dirt path that led north up the face of the mountain. An uneasy silence fell between the two of them, and Tan'shae cast a glance to Malavai, his face hardened in concentration. She knew that look all too well. He wore it into combat all the time. It was his "calculating every last possible outcome" face.

"You don't think those guerillas are Republic-aligned, do you?"

"It's definitely a possibility, my Lord. It's also possible that they're just loyal to one of the other Houses of Alderaan."

"A house that's opposed to the Empire, you mean."

"Precisely."

The Sith lord breathed a heavy sigh, cursing internally as she and Quinn made their way towards the mountain. It almost felt like a galaxy was conspiring against her plans of rest and relaxation. She furrowed her brow in determination, her main hand tightening around an invisible lightsaber hilt. If those guerrillas decided to interrupt their vacation, she'd make sure that they were very, _very_ sorry.


End file.
